# Autodesk Maya

Autodesk Maya, commonly shortened to just Maya (/ˈmaɪə/; MY-ə), is a 3D computer graphics application that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, originally developed by Alias and currently owned and developed by Autodesk. It is used to create assets for interactive 3D applications (including video games), animated films, TV series, and visual effects.

## History

Maya was originally an animation product based on codebase from The Advanced Visualizer by Wavefront Technologies, Thomson Digital Image (TDI) Explore, PowerAnimator by Alias, and Alias Sketch!. The IRIX-based projects were combined and animation features were added; the project codename was Maya. Walt Disney Feature Animation collaborated closely with Maya's development during its production of Dinosaur. Disney requested that the user interface of the application be customizable to allow for a personalized workflow. This was a particular influence in the open architecture of Maya, and partly responsible for its popularity in the animation industry.
After Silicon Graphics Inc. had acquired both Alias and Wavefront Technologies, Inc. in 1995, Wavefront's technology (then under development) was merged into Maya. SGI's acquisition was a response to Microsoft Corporation acquiring Softimage 3D in 1994. The new wholly-owned subsidiary was named "Alias$|$Wavefront".
In the early days of development Maya started with Tcl as the scripting language, in order to leverage its similarity to a Unix shell script language, but after the merger with Wavefront it was replaced with Maya Embedded Language (MEL). Sophia, the scripting language in Wavefront's Dynamation, was chosen as the basis of MEL.
Maya 1.0 was released in February 1998. Following a series of acquisitions, Maya was bought by Autodesk in October 2005. Under the name of the new parent company, Maya was renamed Autodesk Maya. However, the name "Maya" continues to be the dominant name used for the product.

## Release history

| Major Version Name | Date | Sub-versions | Major change | Operating System |
| A|W Maya 1.0 | Feb 1998 | 1.0.1 (Jun 1998) | | SGI IRIX Windows |
| A|W Maya 1.5 | Oct 1998 | | IRIX only | SGI IRIX |
| A|W Maya 2.0 | Jun 1999 | | | SGI IRIX Windows |
| A|W Maya 2.5 | Nov 1999 | 2.5.2 (Mar 2000) | | SGI IRIX Windows |
| A|W Maya 3.0 | Feb 2000 | 3.0.1 (Jan 2001) | First Linux ver. | SGI IRIX Windows Linux |
| A|W Maya 3.5 | Oct 2001 | 3.5.1 (Sep 2002) | OSX only | OSX |
| A|W Maya 4.0 | Jun 2001 | 4.0.2 (May 2002) | No OSX ver. | SGI IRIX Windows Linux |
| A|W Maya 4.5 | Jul 2002 | | | SGI IRIX Windows Linux OSX |
| A|W Maya 5.0 | May 2003 | 5.0.1 (Oct 2003) | +Mental Ray | SGI IRIX Windows Linux OSX |
| Alias Maya 6.0 | May 2004 | 6.0.1 (Aug 2004) | | SGI IRIX Windows Linux OSX |
| Alias Maya 6.5 | Jan 2005 | 6.5.1 (Dec 2005) | final IRIX ver. | SGI IRIX Windows Linux OSX |
| Alias Maya 7.0 | Aug 2005 | 7.0.1 (Dec 2005) | | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 8.0 | Aug 2006 | | First 64-bit First Autodesk Ver. | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 8.5 | Jan 2007 | Service Pack 1 (Jun 2007) | +Intel-based OSX +Python API +Nucleus Solver | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2008 ver. 9.0 | Sep 2007 | Extension 1, ver. 9 (Dec 2007) Extension 2, ver. 9.0.1 (Feb 2008) SP1, ver. 9.0.1 (Mar 2008) | Software versioning numbering scheme becomes year-based | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2009 ver. 10 | Aug 2008 | Service Pack 1, ver. 10 (Apr-2009) | unified "Complete" and "Unlimited" editions | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2010 | Aug 2009 | | | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2011 | April 2010 | Service Pack 1 (Sep 2010) Subscription Advantage Pack (Sep 2010) Hotfix 3 (Jul 2010) Hotfix 2 (Jun 2010) Hotfix 1 (May 2010) | +PyMel 1.0 +Qt Interface | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2012 | March 2011 | Service Pack 2 (25. Jan 2012) Service Pack 1 (Oct 2011) Hotfix1,2,3,4 (Apr-Aug 2011) | +Nvidia PhysX +Viewport 2.0 +Python API 2.0 | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2013 | Mar 2012 | Service Pack 2 (Oct 2012) Service Path 1 Refix (Jul 2012) Service Pack 1 (Jun 2012) | +NHair +Bullet Physics Library +Alembic +Node Editor | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2014 | Mar 2013 | SP1 Extension (Oct 2013) Service Pack 1 (Jun 2013) | | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2015 | Aug. 2014 | SP2 (May 2014) | +Python 2.7.x | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2016 | Mar 2015 | Extension 1 SP7 (May 2019) Service Pack 7 (May 2019) Extension 2 SP2 (Sep 2016) Extension 2 (Apr 2016) Extension 1 (Apr 2016) Service Pack 6 (Apr 2016) Service Pack 5 (Dec 2015) Service Pack 4 (Oct 2015) Service Pack 3 (Sep 2015) Service Pack 2 (Aug 2015) Service Pack 1 (Jun 2015) | +XGen +Bifrost | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2017 | Jul 2016 | Update 5 (Nov 2017) Update 4 (Jun 2017) Update 3 (Feb 2017) Update 2 (Nov 2016) Update 1 (Sep 2016) | | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2018 | Jul 2017 | 2018.7 (Apr 2020) 2018.6 (Apr 2019) 2018.5 (Nov 2018) 2018.4 (Jul 2018) 2018.3 (May 2018) 2018.2 (Dec 2017) 2018.1 (Sep 2017) | +MASH | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2019 | Jan 2019 | 2019.3.1 (Apr 2020) 2019.3 (Apr 2020) 2019.2 (Jul 2019) 2019.1 (May 2019) | | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2020 | Dec 2019 | 2020.4 (Dec 2020) 2020.3 (Oct 2020) 2020.2 (May 2020) 2020.1 (Mar 2020) | | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2022 | Mar 2021 | 2022.1 2022.2 2022.3 2022.4 2022.5 2022.5.1 | +USD support +OpenColorIO +Python 3.7.x | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2023 | Sep 2022 | 2023.1 2023.2 2023.3 2023.3.1 | +Boolean overhaul +Sweep mesh | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2024 | Mar 2023 | 2024.0.1 2024.1 2024.2 | +LookdevX +Substance 2.3.2 +Native Apple silicon Support | Windows Linux OSX |
| Autodesk Maya 2025 | Aug 2024 | 2025.1 2025.2 | | Windows Linux OSX |

## Overview

Maya is an application used to generate 3D assets for use in the film, television, video game, and advertising industries. The software was initially released for the IRIX operating system. However, this support was discontinued in August 2005 after the release of version 6.5. Maya was available in both "Complete" and "Unlimited" editions until August 2008, when it was turned into a single suite.
Users define a virtual workspace (scene) to implement and edit media of a particular project. Scenes can be saved in a variety of formats, the default being .mb (Maya Binary). Maya exposes a node graph architecture. Scene elements are node-based, each node having its own attributes and customization. As a result, the visual representation of a scene is based entirely on a network of interconnecting nodes, depending on each other's information. For the convenience of viewing these networks, there is a dependency and a directed acyclic graph.
Assets created with Maya can be imported to game engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity.

## Industry usage

The widespread use of Maya in the film industry is usually associated with its development on the film Dinosaur, released by Disney and The Secret Lab on May 19, 2000. In 2003, when Alias|Wavefront received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement, it was noted to be used in films such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Spider-Man, Ice Age, and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, all of which were released in 2002. By 2015, VentureBeat Magazine stated that all ten films in consideration for the Best Visual Effects Academy Award had used Autodesk Maya and that it had been "used on every winning film since 1997." The film studio Illumination Studios Paris uses Autodesk Maya for their animated films. Walt Disney Animation Studios also utilizes the software for character rigging and animation, being used in their films such as Frozen II.

## Awards

On March 1, 2003, Alias was given an Academy Award for Technical Achievement by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for scientific and technical achievement for their development of Maya software.
In 2005, while working for Alias|Wavefront, Jos Stam shared an Academy Award for Technical Achievement with Edwin Catmull and Tony DeRose for their invention and application of subdivision surfaces.
On February 8, 2008, Duncan Brinsmead, Jos Stam, Julia Pakalns and Martin Werner received an Academy Award for Technical Achievement for the design and implementation of the Maya Fluid Effects system.